Fig. 6: Intestinal colonization of Eh_B17 and Es_B36 modulates the vector competence of field-derived Aedes mosquitoes.
From: Gut symbiont-derived sphingosine modulates vector competence in Aedes mosquitoes
a Susceptibility of field-derived Ae. aegypti (Haikou strain), Ae. albopictus (Haikou strain), Ae. albopictus (Lingshui strain), and Ae. albopictus (Shenzhen strain) to ZIKV (1.0 × 105 FFU/mL) infection via blood-feeding (Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post-hoc tests). Virus RNA levels in midguts and carcasses (n = 20 for Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) were measured using qPCR at 7 d post infection. Virus titers in saliva (n = 16 for Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) were detected using focus-forming assay at 10 d post infection. Carcasses: mosquito body without the midgut. Each point represents one midgut, carcass, or saliva sample. b,c Assessment of the amount of Eh_B17 (b; In Ae. aegypti, n = 19 for Jinghong strain; n = 15 for Haikou strain; n = 16 for Zhanjiang strain; n = 7 for Danzhou strain. In Ae. albopictus, n = 17 for Lingshui strain; n = 18 for both Dongfang and Haikou strain; n = 20 for Wenchang strain; n = 21 for both Sanya and Shenzhen strain; n = 5 for Bangkok strain.) and Es_B36 (c; In Ae. aegypti, n = 19 for Jinghong strain; n = 15 for Haikou strain; n = 16 for Zhanjiang strain; n = 7 for Danzhou strain. In Ae. albopictus, n = 17 for both Lingshui and Haikou strain; n = 16 for Dongfang, Wenchang, and Sanya strain; n = 21 for Shenzhen strain; n = 5 for Bangkok strain.) in 11 field strains of Aedes. Each point represents one midgut. The rps7 gene was used to normalize Eh_B17 and Es_B36 DNA load. The top of each column shows the number of infected mosquitoes relative to the total number of mosquitoes in a. The top of each column shows the number of mosquitoes containing Eh_B17 or Es_B36 relative to the total number of mosquitoes in b and c. Percentages represent the rate of mosquito with Eh_B17 or Es_B36. Data are shown as mean ± SEM in a. Data are represented as means in b and c. The experiments were repeated twice with similar results. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
